Snake
by Nika Dixon
Summary: Rodney is bitten by a snake and Jen has to save him. Everyone gets a little whumping before the day's out. Team friendship. R/K ship.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note**: I had this on my computer and forgot I hadn't posted it. Whoops! Originally this was just going to be a short little blurb about the bad luck that always seemed to follow Jen or Rodney, then I decided to do a little whumping and it got out of hand. Poor Jen. :P_

_I did a little googling on snakebites, and hope I have the details right._

_To all those who have be kind enough to send me reviews - I thank you! Thank you thank you! I don't reply back to each one (not sure if that's proper protocol or not, but I did want to thank everyone. And - if anyone has an idea they'd like to see done in a story - just send it my way! :)_

* * *

"All in all, I thought that went surprisingly well." Rodney nodded, stepping around a large rock.

Jennifer smiled at his back as she followed the narrow path up the rocky slope. "Surprisingly well, considering you almost electrocuted us both."

"Okay. For the hundredth time, the current wasn't strong enough to-" Rodney looked over his shoulder then stopped mid sentence and rolled his eyes. "Oh. Right. Yes. Sarcasm."

Jen laughed. "You have to admit it was pretty funny."

"_Funny_ is not the word I'd use. Actually I believe it could be more accurately described as painful. Excruciating. Even debilitating."

"I thought you said it didn't hurt?"

"Yeah, well, I lied."

"Oh come on. Admit it. You loved being the center of attention. Big, brave scientist fixes poor villager's aqueduct. You're a hero."

"Yes, well…" Rodney smiled over his shoulder, puffing up his chest. "It was rather genius of me, wasn't it."

Jen laughed again, and gave him a gentle shove from behind. "Move it, Bob the Builder. Let's get back before they have to send out a search-

"OW!" Rodney yelled, jumping back and hopping up and down on one foot. "Something bit me!" He hissed through his teeth.

"Is that a snake?" Jen pointed to a slithering twist of orange and black that was disappearing into a narrow hole in the barren hillside.

"Snake? What? Where?" Rodney exclaimed, spinning around and quickly removing his revolver, aiming it at the ground near his feet.

Jen dropped her rucksack to the ground, and clamped her hand down on Rodney's shoulder to stop his spinning. Falling to her knees she lifted the cuff of his trousers. There was blood on his leg.

She quickly extracted a pair of latex gloves from her bag and tugged them on, moving closer to examine the wound.

"Ouch!" Rodney muttered as her fingers swiped the blood away from a very noticeable bite mark. "Take it easy, Nurse Hatchet!"

"Quit wiggling." Jen ordered.

"Well, what is it? Is it bad? It's bad isn't it?" Rodney clamped his hand down on her shoulder to steady himself while she kept his foot raised.

"Definitely a bite mark." She replied. "Puncture wounds."

"Puncture wounds?" He croaked. "It was a snake. I've been bitten by a snake. Fantastic. Just… fantastic. And it's probably poisonous. Oh God!" His fingers dug sharply into her shoulder making her wince as her shook her. "It's poisonous. Isn't it! I'm already feeling light headed."

"Rodney, we don't know that yet." Jen tried to get a better look at the bite mark but it was difficult to do while Rodney was hopping on one foot.

"Rodney, I need you to sit down."

"And now it all comes down to this? Survives the Wraith. Genii. Nanites. Replicators. Countless attacks, bombs, explosions, and God knows what else, yet here he is! The great Rodney McKay! Taken down by a slithering reptile! This is not what I expected to see on my tombstone! I mean I knew we were exponentially lucky and everything but this is completely uncalled for! Sheppard's going to laugh his ass off at this one."

"Rodney!" Jen yelled. "Calm down!"

"I will not calm down! You just said I was bitten by a poisonous snake!"

"I didn't say poisonous, _you_ did." Jen shook her head. "Now _sit_ _down _and let me do my job!"

Rodney let out a frustrated how-dare-you-use-that-tone-on-me sigh and lowered himself to the ground. Jen bent to examine the four perfectly spaced puncture holes in the side of his leg, two inches above the top of his boot. The area was already turning red and puffy.

She pushed lightly. "Does this hurt?"

"Yes!" He flinched and drew the word out with a resounding _duh_.

_Oh damn, this is not good._

Jen looked at her knapsack, the knowledge already burning through her mind that she wasn't carrying anything that could be of use. She'd packed specifically for the vaccinations she'd come to administer to a few children in the tiny village. The planet was friendly – no warring tribes, nothing out of the ordinary in the Ancient database, nothing Teyla thought to warn them about… and no mention of poisonous snakes – so she'd brought only a few necessities for the two hour trip. Syringes. Vials. Chocolate for the kids. She had a basic first aid kit, but what was basic first aid for a Pegasus galaxy serpent?

She looked back down to where her fingers were lightly pressing against leg. The area felt like it was burning beneath the skin. Small purple veins had already spidering out through the center of the wounded area.

It could only mean one thing.

She looked up and saw the fear widen his eyes.

"Oh crap." He exhaled. "It's poisonous isn't it?"

Jen nodded. "I believe so."

He moved to get up and she shoved him back down. "Don't move. It will only make it worse."

"But the gate! We have to get to the gate! Back to Atlantis. There has to be a cure in the database! We… I… I can't just sit here like some kind of… of… snake-bit redneck waiting to die an excruciatingly painful death in the middle of the Pegasus' version of Scotland!"

"Rodney! Just calm down. Getting excited makes your heart beat faster which is pulling the poison into your blood stream faster. It's only going to make it worse."

"Calm down? Calm down! Hello! Dying man over here!" He raised his hand and waved at her.

Jen briefly closed her eyes and ran through the checklist of what she needed to do next. Breath normally. Keep the blood pressure down. Don't move. She looked around the barren, rocky hillside they were halfway through climbing.

_Up_ was a narrow path to the top and then a pair of rolling hills leading to the large meadow and the Stargate. _Down_ was a sharp rocky trail to the cold lake below then a rocky beach path back to the settlement.

Taking a deep breath she tried to reason it out. Up was the gate and Atlantis, possible antivenin, and definite modern medicine. Down was the village and knowledge of whether or not it was even poisonous. Would the Ancients have the antivenin breakdown in the database? How long would it take to manufacture? Would they even know what the right one was if all she could say was orange with black spots? The villagers were local. They should know if it was even poisonous to begin with.

Although the deepening purple marks around the wound pretty much told her that answer already.

The gate was up hill, and fifteen minutes away.

The village was down hill, and only ten.

Down would definitely be faster.

"I feel dizzy." Rodney blurted out, slapping his palm to his forehead. "Lightheaded. Oh God I'm dying, aren't I?"

"Rodney, you're not going die."

"But I-"

"Listen. I'm going get you comfortable then I'm going for help."

"You're leaving me?" He squawked.

"Rodney. You're going to be fine. But we need to keep you still. You can't move. Moving makes the blood pump faster. You're going to have to keep still, and try to breathe normally."

"Breathe normally? How can I breathe normally? I've been bitten by a poisonous snake! I can't breathe normally! I'm going to die!"

"You're not going to die."

"I hate snakes. Foul creatures. Did I ever tell you about the time-"

"Rodney."

"-when I was twelve and we were driving through Alberta and-"

"Rodney."

"-the road was covered in water snakes migrating from one side of the highway to the other and we just drove over them making this horrid squishing sound. Gave me nightmares for weeks."

"Rodney! Enough." Jen put her hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at her. "The longer we chit-chat, the more time I'm wasting going for help. Do you understand?"

He nodded once and opened his mouth to comment but she clamped her hand down over his lips. "No more talking, no more getting upset. Concentrate on staying still and breathing slowly. Can you do that for me?"

He nodded.

"Just… think of something completely boring." She removed her hands. "Like math."

"Math?"

"Sorry." She tried to smile, and settled for a grimace. "Guess that's just me."

Walking behind him she hooked her fingers under the straps of his vest. Digging in her heels she yanked him back a foot towards the side of the path. "Stay here," she ordered. "And don't move." Stepping around him she forced him to lean against the rock, then pulled his feet together.

"I need to keep your legs still so I'm going to bind them together. Okay?"

Rodney was quiet. Too quiet.

"Rodney?" She dragged her pack over and squatted in front of him.

He looked up and she could see the worry and dread in his eyes.

"Look." She placed her hand on his thigh. "I know it hurts. And you'll probably feel dizzy and maybe nauseous, but that's normal. At least I think it's normal. Well, normal for Earth snakes. But you're going to be just fine. Trust me."

Rodney flinched and exhaled sharply.

"Pain?"

He nodded.

She grabbed a roll of tape out of her bag and wrapped it around his ankles and thighs. She spoke while she worked.

"I'm going to go down to the village. Their local healer should know what's poisonous and what's not, and hopefully have a cure. It's going to take me at least twenty minutes there and back, estimating another five to get to the healer. My radio won't work in the valley. We're already a few minutes overdue but I doubt they're going to wait more than thirty before trying to contact us. As soon as they do, tell them what happened and have them send a medical team in a jumper. You should be high enough that your com will reach the gate. You'll probably be back in Atlantis before I am."

She patted him on the shoulder. "Okay?"

He nodded.

Jen stood up and took a step down the hill, then turned back, hesitating. She pulled off her coat and draped it over his legs.

"I'll be fine." He tried to smile, despite the seeds of fear that were clearly etched on his face. "Tell them it was orange with black spots."

"Orange." She nodded. "Black spots."

She took a few tentative steps then turned back. "Don't move. Just relax. Breath normally."

"I got it. Just… just go." Rodney crossed his arms. "I'll… wait here and think about listening to Zelenka's ramblings about his pigeons."

"Zelenka has pigeons?"

"Keeps them as pets." He shrugged. "Well, you said boring, right?"

Jen smiled. "You're going to be just fine."

With a deep breath, she turned and ran down the hillside, her mind racing with urgency. She hoped to God she'd made the right decision because judging from the speed at which the purple spidery veins were extending out from the wound on his leg… Rodney might not _have_ twenty minutes.


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

Jen gasped and held her side, squeezing the cramp and trying to get her brain to meet her mouth halfway.

"Orange and black spots?" The middle aged man asked, his hands quickly selecting various ingredients from the shelves and setting them onto the counter.

Jen looked around the tiny room, the multitude of glass vials and jars of who knew what covering the shelves along all four walls. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling, smells and odors reflecting a bitter spice. She prayed something in here was going to help.

"Were the spots side by side in two rows, or a single, long row down the back?" He held a glass vial in each hand and turned towards her.

Jen shook her head. "I don't know. I just saw spots. Is that important?"

He hesitated, then nodded, putting both vials onto the counter. "One row, the male, will make your friend very sick but he will not die. Two rows, the female, means your friend will still become very sick, but…"

"But?" Jen prompted, not wanting to know, but needing to know.

"Only the very strong are able to walk away from a female Raka with their life." He quickly added various ingredients to a small bowl and stirred the thick mixture. Spooning it into a small vial he added water then sealed it with a stopper.

"He must drink all of it." He wrapped the bottle in a protective piece of leather and held it out. "It will keep the visions from becoming too violent."

"Visions?" Jen accepted the medication.

The older man nodded. "A Raka bite will give a human victim… visions. They see things that are not there. They can hurt others, or bring injury to themselves, without understanding. This medicine will stop the visions, but it will not stop the sickness. It will only help keep them calm until they are able to ride out the effects of the poison. He must drink it all."

Jen nodded. "That's it?"

He shrugged. "You can pray."

Jen gripped the package tightly and ran towards the door. "You pray. I don't have time."

* * *

_His eyes opened and he blinked up into the grey sky._

_Warm. He was warm. Why was he so warm? Clouds. Overcast. No sun. No heat. The ground felt cool under his fingers._

_Pounding. Aches. His body hurt. Why was he in pain?_

_His head rolled to the right then the left – the world swam and blurred. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. A hillside. Rocks. Grass. Lake. It looked familiar. Yet it didn't. _

_He leaned forward and tried to stand but his legs wouldn't work. _

_Why were his legs tied?_

_No, that wasn't right. He squinted. Taped. They were taped. _

_The pack beside him. Familiar. He fingered the straps. Medical. Not military._

_Keller._

_Jennifer._

_She was here. _

_He looked rolled his head and looked around. _

_No, she wasn't here. Where was here? Why was he so hot if the sun wasn't out? His head hurt. Had he hit his head? _

_Jennifer's things. _

_Her coat._

_Her bag._

_But no Jennifer._

_And he was tied up._

_Taped up._

_They'd taken her. Someone had taken her and left him behind? Tied up. She was in trouble. He needed to help. Get help. A whisper of words echoed through his mind. Jennifer's words. Poison. Jennifer's voice. Something about help. Getting help. He had to get help? For her? Help for her?_

_She was gone. Poisoned. He had to find her._

_His hand landed in the dirt next to his hip._

_Cold metal. _

_He tore at the tape, anger and tension ripping through him. Someone had taken his friend. And that was not acceptable._

* * *

Jen half ran, half stumbled down the path next to the lake, her ankles sliding on the rounded rocks. She checked her watch again, and for the hundredth time, wished she hadn't turned down Colonel Sheppard and Ronon's offer to accompany them. Rodney had gone into insulted-mode and she'd foolishly agreed the planet was harmless. They were only going to be gone for two hours. She might have bad luck, sure, but she wasn't going to war, she was just going to do simple inoculations. And yes, okay, maybe she also wanted to prove herself. Prove herself to them. That she was just as good. She could be just as useful. She wasn't a soldier. But she could hold her own. She didn't need babysitting. She needed trust. She wanted to see acceptance when they heard she was going off world.

She wheezed and staggered against a large rock, catching her breath.

Next time – trust be damned. Don't turn down the help. Ronon could have covered the distance in seconds.

She sucked in a lungful of oxygen and continued.

Rodney was going to be fine.

Just fine.

* * *

"Sheppard." Ronon called out, catching up to John in the hallway.

John turned around and nodded at his friend. "Hey."

"McKay's late again."

John rolled his eyes and sighed, dropping his shoulders. "I swear one of these days I'm going to strap an egg timer to the back of his head." He joined Ronon as they walked back towards the gate room. "How late?"

"Half an hour."

"Probably got carried away."

Ronon tilted his head.

John sighed. "No radio contact?"

"If they're in the village they won't hear us."

"Right." John muttered. "Yeah. Forgot about that. Try anyway?"

"Why I'm here."

They entered the gate room and took the stairs two at a time. Sam greeted them at the top.

"Normally I'd give it a little longer, but…" she smirked.

"But, it is McKay and Keller we're talking about." John finished. "Two people who don't exactly have the best of luck."

Sam raised her shoulder. "My thoughts exactly." She leaned over the gate controls. "Dial the gate."

Ronon moved to stand next to John overlooking the gate. He wasn't really worried. Well, okay, maybe a little bit. Oh hell, okay he was worried a lot. Like Colonel Carter said - they were talking about Rodney and Jennifer. They both had the unlikeliest strings of bad luck. But together… it was just asking for trouble.

They shouldn't have been allowed to go alone.

But the planet was harmless.

Okay so maybe they'd fallen for that before.

He sighed and watched the event horizon stabilize.

"Dr. McKay? Dr. Keller? This is Colonel Carter. Come in, please."

Silence.

Ronon felt his grip tensing on the railing.

Sam tried again.

Still nothing.

Then a static hiss of sound.

"McKay?" John activated his com. "Keller? You there?"

Hissing. A garbled squeal.

John turned towards Sam.

A voice crackled through but they couldn't understand the garbled transmission.

"Rodney?" John repeated. "Can you hear me?"

More static.

Ronon was starting to get a bad feeling. Knives stabbed through the pit of his stomach when he picked out the panic in McKay's voice.

…_Keller… … can't … … poison… …going after them… … tell Sheppard sorry … _

Then there was a distinguishable bang – a gunshot – a hiss and crackle and finally, silence.

"Rodney!" John yelled. "Rodney!"

Nothing.

John spun around and faced Carter. The expression on her face said she'd understood the urgency behind the words too.

"Gear up." Sam nodded.

With one hand on the banister Ronon leapt over and landed with a roll on the floor below. He ran at full speed down the hall towards the transporter.

"You know, we have stairs!" John yelled, jumping down the steps and running after the disappearing Satedan.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

Jen screamed when the gunshot chipped off a chunk of rock next to her head.

She fell – hard – slamming into the rocky ground, her left knee cracking sharply and sending a wave of pain from heel to thigh.

Her heart pounded against her ribs as she rolled onto her side and clutched her knee, the torn material showing a large, bleeding gash. She looked up and spun her head in all directions to see where the attack had come from.

"Jeannie!"

Jen's head snapped to the left, where Rodney was scrambling along the side of the lake. He was running at a half crouch, gun raised, heading straight for her.

"Jeannie!" He said again, tightly grabbing her arm and dragging her to her feet. Her knee protested and she winced, but kept her eyes trained on Rodney. He looked… wrong. His expression was dark. Strained. His eyes were wide and he was looking frantically around, pointing his gun at the rocks surrounding them.

"Rodney." She grabbed the front of his jacket and shook him, trying to get his attention. "Rodney I thought I told you not to move!" She quickly placed her hand against his forehead. His skin was incredibly hot.

"They're coming, Jeannie!" He grabbed her hand away from his head and dragged her roughly forward. "We have to go!"

"Rodney, it's me! It's Jennifer. I'm not Jeannie."

He ignored her and dragged her further along the side of the lake and shoved her roughly down next to a large rock. He dropped beside her.

"Rodney, listen to me. You're sick. We need to get you back to Atlantis."

"No. No, no, no. We have to find Jennifer. They've taken Jennifer." He peeked around the side of the rock.

"I'm right here!" She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back around to face her but he shoved her off.

Jen's body physically jumped when she realized she'd lost the vial. Her eyes scanned the direction she'd just come from and she could see the dark twist of leather sticking up out of the pale colored rocks.

She jumped up and ran for the vial, Rodney's scream of aggravation echoing in her ears.

* * *

"Dial the gate!" Sheppard yelled up, adjusting the strap on his P90.

Ronon stood beside him, trying to keep his mind clear. Rodney's words were still echoing through his mind. He adjusted the strap on his holster and anxiously watched the gate address lock.

For the hundredth time in the past ten minutes he chastised himself for letting them go unattended. They'd insisted it was routine – a quiet planet, quiet people – and he'd relented without argument.

He should have argued.

Major Lorne jogged up to the platform and stopped next to Colonel Sheppard. He adjusted his TAC vest and swung his P90 forward.

John and Ronon both turned towards him.

"Thought you might want an extra set of eyes." Evan nodded.

"Volunteering?" John raised an eyebrow.

"You could say that."

"Okay then." John added, staring at the now solidified event horizon. "Let's move."

* * *

Jen bent down and retrieved the vial but before she could straighten Rodney hit her hard from the side, slamming her into the rocks.

Pain exploded in her head and shoulders as the world flashed white. For a brief moment she thought she was going to pass out but the steady pounding in her skull announced that she was still conscious. She slowly lifted her head, the feel of something warm and wet trickling down the side of her face. She looked down to see blood dripping off her chin, falling with a silent splat on the grey rocks below. She tried to push Rodney off, but he was too heavy.

"Stay down!" He whispered harshly. "They're coming!" He slid to the side and sat up, his gun pointed to the right.

Jen rolled onto her side, groaning as the sky swirled and rocked. She felt like she was lying on a circulating swing. Back and forth. Back and forth. She closed her eyes over the sudden wave of nausea as she forced herself to sit up. A loud hissing crackled through her head. After a slow, concentrated breaths she finally realized it was the distant echo of her com.

She raised her hand to her ear, twisting the bud back into her ear.

… McKay… (static) …answer… (hiss)

Her body sagged with relief as she recognized Colonel Sheppard's voice. Rodney must have gotten through before succumbed to the hallucinations. They were coming. They'd bring help.

"Colonel Sheppard?" She asked, knowing the minerals in the rocky hillside played havoc with the communication systems, and hoping he was close enough to hear.

"Sheppard can't help us." Rodney answered, his eyes still scanning the hillside. "We have to save ourselves."

John's voice crackled through. … Keller? … (hiss) … going on? …

"Thank God. Rodney was bitten by a poisonous snake. He's hallucinating and prone to violence. We're down by the lake. I need to get him back to Atlantis as soon as possible."

Silence.

"Colonel Sheppard?" She tried to stand up, stepping away from Rodney in the hopes of getting a better signal.

"Colonel Sheppard?" She repeated.

Nothing.

"Colonel?"

Rodney leapt to his feet and ripped the com out of her ear. "Who are you talking to?"

"I heard Colonel Sheppard. They're coming. We'll be able to get you back to Atlantis." She tried to smile but wasn't sure she was able to do much more than grimace. "In the mean time Rodney, I really need you to drink this. It's going to make you feel better." She quickly unwrapped the small vial and held it up.

"What's that?" He stared at the bottle warily, his eyes darting between the clear glass vial and her face.

"It's medicine. It will stop the hallucinations" She pulled the stopper off and held it out. "You're not well, Rodney. Don't you remember? You were bitten by a snake. This will help take the edge off until I can get you back to Atlantis."

"Medicine." He spat, stepping back and rolling his eyes. "Oh and I'm supposed to believe a Genii spy offering me medicine."

"Genii?" Jen's eyes quickly darted around before she was able to connect the dots. He thought _she_ was Genii?

She stepped towards him, hand outstretched, holding the vial, but he quickly retreated. He made a tisk-tisk sound as he raised his gun and pointed it directly at her. "Oh no you don't." He sputtered. "I know how you people think. All happy-farmer-welcome-to-the-harvest until you can get your hands on our technology for your nuclear weapons! Do you really think I'm stupid enough to fall for it a second time?"

This time it was Jen who stepped back, holding her hands up in what she hoped was a non-threatening manner. God she wished Colonel Sheppard was here. That Ronon was here. They'd know how to get him to listen. She was too new. She didn't have his trust yet. He would have recognized them. But not her. She was too far from the circle of friends. She wasn't in his mind.

She tried to keep her voice calm. "Rodney. It's me. Jennifer. I'm not a… a Genii. I'm just trying to help!"

"Oh that's rich!" He muttered, stepping forward, the raised gun forcing her back. "Help coming from the Genii. You might have everyone else fooled but not me! Where's Koyla? He's behind this isn't he?"

"Koyla!" he screamed over his shoulder, his voice echoing across the rocky lake. He spun around and yelled up into the barren hillside. "Nice try you freak of nature! _This_ is the best you could come up with? How sneaky! A spy! Great plan! I'm surprised at you! You'll have to do better than that!"

Jen stepped forward but Rodney spun back around, holding her in place with the threat of his gun. In this state, he could very well shoot her and not even realize it was her he was shooting.

"Rodney. Please. Listen to me. I need you to drink this." She held out the vial then watched in horror as he snatched it away and threw it far out into the water. She panicked and ran forward, her feet sloshing into the frigid water as she saw the small glass bottle disappear beneath the surface, leaving nothing more than a tiny ripple.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

"Anything?" Ronon called over his shoulder as they stood at the crest of the first hill.

"Nothing." John answered, jogging down the incline. "I'm not even hearing the static now."

Ronon stared up into the overcast sky, noting the threat of rain and ignoring it. They'd heard Jennifer's voice. It eased the tension radiating through his body to know she was alive – but barely. She was still in communication, but the only word they'd been able to distinguish was _violent_. And it made his skin crawl.

An unspoken worry had gone between the three of them – with eyes only – as they'd all deciphered the word.

Ronon and Evan moved up beside the Colonel as the three men half ran, half slid down the scrub covered hillside. A tall wooden post spired up in the distance, marking the edge of the cliff, and the start of the rocky trail leading down to the lake. Ronon could hear John and Evan behind him as he covered the uneven ground as quickly as possible. When they reached the top of the trail, he slowed only after John's second shouted warning, his heart and soul wanting to keep going – to find her, but his military training recognized the verbal request for what it was. A command from a superior officer.

He let them catch up.

But he wasn't happy about it.

Two minutes later any respite he'd given them was gone in a heartbeat as he stared at the scattered debris lying across the trail at his feet.

Jennifer's backpack, the contents haphazardly dumped along the path.

Her jacket, half fallen behind a large rock.

McKay's TAC vest, twisted and discarded a few feet away.

"The hell?" John muttered, picking up Rodney's vest and examining it. He toed the knapsack, his eyes scanning the trail and surrounding hillside.

"Dr. Keller? McKay?" He tried the radio again, hearing nothing but silence.

"Come on." He moved quickly down the trail. "And keep your eyes open!"

* * *

Jen stood ankle deep in the freezing cold water, attempting to ignore the screaming pain in her head as she stared at the dizzying ripples caused by the vanishing vial.

A strangled noise behind her and she turned around. Rodney was on his knees, his hands to his heads. Jen rushed towards him but he cried out and raised the gun, his eyes wild and panicked as he stared at her. He rose, the revolver swinging violently as he swayed on his feet.

"You… you… you…" he pointed, crying out as he grabbed the side of his head.

"Rodney, let me help you!"

"No!" He shouted, stumbling into the water. "Get away!"

With her eyes drowning into the barrel of his revolver, Jen stumbled back, the rocks beneath her feet suddenly disappearing and she splashed sideways into the freezing cold water. As she surfaced Rodney's cry of anger echoed with a sharp explosion as he fired.

* * *

As they ran down the hill, the bottom rim of the lake came into view. As they reached the bottom ledge, a shout echoed off the rocks and they slid to a stop.

Ronon's shoved aside all thoughts other than survive as he spun around, gun and eyes seeking the source of the guttural scream.

Hill.

Lake.

Rocks.

Two figures.

An explosion – gunshot – and Lorne dropped to the ground, clutching his thigh. "I'm hit!"

John crawled to Evan, grabbing his TAC vest and yanking him in behind the shelter of a low bank of rocks.

"Who the hell was that?" Sheppard muttered, digging his fingers into the hole the bullet left in Lorne's pants and tearing a large gap in the material. "These people have bows and arrows - not weapons!"

"Damn it." Evan muttered.

"You're okay." Grabbing a field dressing, John quickly pressed the gauze over the wound and wound the bandage around Lorne's upper thigh.

Ronon crouched, gun pointed towards the lake. He could hear shouts and splashing. He stood quickly then dropped, the second of time used to confirm the location of two figures wrestling in the cold water.

"Stay here." John ordered Lorne then turned towards Ronon. "Come on. And stay down!"

* * *

Jen could feel the water closing over her head, Rodney's cries of frustration muffled above the surface as he shoved her under.

She struggled against him, her lungs burning for oxygen.

Her hands clawed at his fingers, scratching and pulling, her heart slamming as panic set in.

Her mind screamed for her to open her mouth. Take in oxygen. Breathe. But she couldn't.

She couldn't get to the air.

She could see the surface – close enough to reach – too far to save her life.

_Brightness and light._

_Swimming off the dock in the mill pond._

_The summer sun shining down as she moved silently through the warm water. Diving deeper into the depths. Smiling with the memory._

_Home._

_She was home._


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

John and Ronon scrambled down onto the rocky beach, their guns trained on the water, sight of the familiar shape pulling them both out of their crouch.

Rodney was struggling with someone – someone he was holding under the surface of the water.

Ronon quickly scanned the shoreline looking for traces of Jennifer. When he didn't see her he prayed she was still at the village.

Somewhere safe.

"McKay!" John yelled, closing the gap.

Rodney straightened and turned, water splashing as he staggered, the gun swinging around.

Before John could react, Rodney screamed and fired.

Ronon watched with shock as John spun with a grunt and grabbed his shoulder, falling to his knees.

Before Rodney could finish the swing of his arc towards Ronon, Ronon fired.

John staggered to his feet with a curse as Rodney sloshed forward in the water.

_McKay was still standing?_

Rodney's eyes were wide, wild, and accusatory as he slid on the rocks, water splashing as he spun around, seeking invisible attackers.

"Jeezus, McKay!" John called out, his palm pressed tightly against his shoulder attempting to stem the flow of blood. "What the hell's wrong with you!"

"… not… going to let you…" Rodney stammered, turning to face them.

Ronon shot him again. Rodney convulsed and dropped to his knees, his hands falling into the water.

But he was _still_ moving.

Crawling.

Forward.

Cursing at them.

Ronon fired again – and this time Rodney dropped face first into the shallow water at the edge of the shoreline, unconscious.

They both jumped forward and flipped him over, dragging him up out of the water.

"What the hell's going on?" John stared down at McKay's unconscious form, then glanced into the lake. "Oh God." John whispered, and Ronon's head snapped up.

John ran into the lake, knees high as he jumped through the surface towards something floating in the water.

A body.

A uniformed body.

Ronon was running through the icy cold after Sheppard before his brain would admit to what he was seeing.

_Jennifer_.

Chest deep in water John grabbed the back of her shirt and flipped her over, cradling her head in his arms to keep her face above the surface as he dragged her back towards the shore.

John moved to pick her up but his shoulder wouldn't hold the weight and she slipped.

Ronon snatched at her, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. He rushed her to the shore, the sounds of John sloshing behind him, his mind refusing to consider the possibility she could be dead.

Dropping to his knees he lay her on the ground, brushing the hair away from her face. Blood and water mixed and ran down the side of her face.

Her skin was cold.

She wasn't moving.

Wasn't breathing.

"What the hell happened?" Lorne called out as he stumbled to a stop beside them, the bandage around his leg soaked through with blood.

"She's not breathing. Help me." John shoved Ronon out of the way and fell to the ground next to Jen, straightening her body and tipping her head back.

Ronon staggered to his feet as he stared down at the two men – knowing what was wrong, but not knowing what to do.

He'd seen the forced breathing the Earth soldier's were trained to do. The way they used their hands to push a heart into beating. Used their own air to replace what was lost. He understood it. But until this very moment in time he'd never thought to ask to learn it.

To use it to save a life.

Jennifer's life.

His own body refused to breathe while he watched Sheppard and Lorne. Shaking with fear. With anger. With hope and confusion and every emotion twisting and tangling through his soul.

Not again.

He needed her.

She couldn't be gone.

Not like this.

Her body bucked and gasped, air sucking in.

His eyes burned behind the tears that threatened at the most beautiful sound he'd heard in this lifetime.

She lived.

* * *

Jennifer blinked against the light then let her eye lids close. She willed them to open again, pushing against the fuzzy feeling in her head. A few more tries and the focus cleared, bringing hazy shapes into recognition.

The infirmary?

She rolled her head to the right.

Major Lorne was in the bed beside her. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted, then opened them. Blue eyes stared back.

"Welcome back, Doc." Evan smiled, then his eyes shifted to a spot behind her.

Her head rolled to the left and the room blurred. She closed her eyes and rode the wave of dizziness.

Jen heard a chair slide, felt warm fingers slid away from hers, leaving her left hand cold and vacant.

She squinted up, her eyes falling into deep green.

_Ronon_.

"Hey, Doc." He whispered.

She tried to smile but only managed to quirk one corner.

"Mmmm." She nodded, her eyes shifting to the bed behind him.

Colonel Sheppard, with his arm wrapped in a sling, grinned at her. "Nice to have you back."

She looked back at Ronon, who's expression was serious. Concerned. But she also saw a hint of a smile. Of relief.

She closed her eyes and drifted off, wondering what everyone was so gosh darn happy about.


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

Jen awoke slowly, the feeling of fuzziness down to a dull spinning sensation. She opened her eyes and looked around. The bed to her right was empty. To her right, Evan Lorne slept, his left leg propped up under the blankets. The rest of the beds lay empty. A vacant chair sat between their two beds, a sign that someone had been by at some point to visit.

She lifted her hand, the tape from the IV pulling at her skin. She frowned, struggling to remember why she was here. She closed her eyes and forced herself back. The gate opened and the memories flooded in. Her eyes snapped open and she struggled to sit up.

Rodney.

She leaned forward and strained to see the far end of the room and the solitary beds. She could see the end of a bed, blanketed feet indicating the presence of a person. Rodney?

Pulling off the blankets, Jen picked at the tape and unhooked the IV from the back of her hand. Sliding off the bed, her feet touched the cold floor and her body swayed. She gripped the side and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to clear her mind. Her fingers found the edges of a large gauze taped to the side of her forehead. Ouch.

A few tentative steps and she had motion. Ignoring the buzzing in her ears and the vague tilt to the room, she walked towards his bed. A Marine stood on the far side of the room. He simply nodded as she moved towards Rodney.

He lay in the bed, eyes closed, breath slow and even. His wrists were secured with restraints and the bedding was twisted and pulled out in one corner. He'd obviously had a rough time, although he appeared to be sleeping.

She stepped up to the side of his bed, placing the back of her hand against his forehead, his cheeks. His skin was cool. Normal. Thank God.

She sighed in relief to know he was alive. She remembered the snake bite. The poison. The warning. And the fact that he'd tried to drown her. But he hadn't been himself. She made a note to tell him as soon as she could that she understood. It didn't change what she'd though of him in the least. What she did know about one Doctor Rodney McKay was that he was going to carry it around inside him. She'd do her best to make sure he understood there was a medical reason for his actions. That she wasn't angry with him. And perhaps, if he was lucky, he wouldn't remember anyway.

Okay. Good. He was fine.

She turned to leave, a dull pounding against her skull telling her it was probably a good idea for her to go lay down. Two interns were at the far end of the room, heads together in discussion. Jen made a note to bring up the lack of observation in their next meeting since neither one seemed to notice a wandering patient. Or maybe they were just ignoring her. Doctor's made horrible patients. Everyone knew that. But the key was knowing your limits. And judging from the sporadic tilting of the room, she was fast reaching hers. She watched them disappear into the supply room without a look into the patient area. Nope – just bad patient care. She sighed and shook her head, immediately regretting the movement as a wave of dizziness blurred the room.

"Doc?" She heard Evan call out, squinting to see him limping quickly around the bed towards her.

She waved him off. "I'm fine." Then she slid to the floor, her hand against her forehead.

"You don't look fine." He raised an eyebrow and scooped her up.

"Your leg." She chastised, squeezing her eyes against the sudden upward motion. She tightened her grip around his neck and hung on, the spinning increasing as he moved forward.

"I'm fine." He mimicked her previous statement and limped slowly towards her bed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A growl cut the silence.

Jen opened her eyes and looked up into Ronon's angry face as he strode into the infirmary.

Both interns scrambled out of the supply room and cowered behind the Satedan.

Ronon strode forward as Lorne was setting her back into her bed.

"I was just checking on McKay." She muttered, closing her eyes and riding out the woozy tilting.

"You're supposed to be resting." His voice growled out beside her. "You too!" She heard Lorne snort in response to Ronon's comment for the Major. Then a scrape of a chair and an accusation to a nurse who'd just come in. "Where the hell were you?"

The nurse stuttered but didn't answer. Jen felt the IV being returned to her hand.

A few moments later and she heard fading footsteps.

"Can't leave you alone for a minute." Ronon muttered, making her smile.

"Guess not." She muttered sleepily, looking up at him with a smile tugging the corners of her mouth. The sedative the nurse added was quickly doing it's job. "Don't worry. You'll do better next time."

"Next time?" He raised an eyebrow and stared down at her.

Jen's voice faded and drifted off. "Next time."

He stood next to the bed, watching her sleep, the tiny hint of a smile teasing the corner of her mouth. He'd barely been gone five minutes and already she was up running around. Crazy woman.

Ronon glanced over at Lorne who was watching him with amusement.

"Thanks."

Evan nodded. "Anytime."

* * *

Twenty four hours later and the full details of the excursion finally came into light.

Rodney was sufficiently horrified, although the fact that he didn't remember a thing past Jennifer leaving him to get help made it easier to handle. Jen was pretty sure Rodney thought they were playing some kind of sick joke on him, which made her feel a little better. He'd scared the hell out of her – the near drowning. It was giving her fragmented and twisted nightmares – but she did realize it wasn't his fault.

They'd moved him out into the main room now, the restraints removed and the promise of being released in the morning if he behaved himself.

As she reclined in the bed, she marveled again at the bizarre camaraderie between their group. The fact that they'd somehow come together to include _her_ made her heart swell. Many people on base, including her, were jealous of the unquestioned support Sheppard's team offered each other. Unquestioned loyalty. Unquestioned friendship. From the outside, it was a circle worthy of envy. And right at this moment, Jen was actually starting to feel the pull of the inside.

She'd offered to leave – to be moved to another bed to afford them more privacy, but they'd refused with such vehemence she'd been afraid she'd insulted them somehow. She'd thanked both Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne profusely – which seemed to embarrass them even more. Then they'd settled around her, looping her into the group, and dragging her into the conversation.

It was almost dizzying – the tennis match of comments and digs, sarcasm and retorts being lobbied across her bed.

Lorne was still regulated to the bed on her right, with Ronon seated between them, lounging in the chair. He faced them both, his long legs stretching out so his feet were resting on the small table between their beds. The bed on her left was occupied by Rodney, and the chair between them taken up with John, who was rocking back on the rear legs, balancing his weight. Teyla sat on the end of Jen's bed, her legs crossed, hands resting on her extended abdomen.

"I can't believe they left Zelenka in charge." Rodney muttered, making calculations on his tablet. "Do you have any idea how long it's going to take me to clean up this mess?"

"Well at least this time he didn't blow up the lab." John picked at the bandage on his shoulder from under the edges of his navy t-shirt.

"Leave that alone." Jen chastised, raising an eyebrow when he gave her his trademark innocent grin.

Teyla leaned forward and cuffed him across the back of his head.

"Hey!" He sputtered. "Injured man, here."

"Your shoulder. Not your head." Teyla smiled. "Besides. "Jennifer warned me you would… _pick_ at it."

"Oh, she did, did she?" John narrowed his eyes and stared at Jen, the front legs of the chair dropping to the floor.

Jen tried to look innocent.

"Careful, Colonel." Evan added. "I have it on good authority that she's hired a personal bodyguard."

Ronon grunted when Jen and Sheppard glanced over at him and tried not to smile. He didn't succeed.

Sheppard gave him a silly grin. "Yeah well if the latest group of mission reports have anything to say about it, she needs one."

"Hey!" Jen sputtered, pointing to the bandage on her forehead. "This was not my fault."

"Oh yes, that's right." Rodney muttered, rolling his eyes. "Blame the person who was poisoned! Like I planned to be attacked by a giant serpent and left to die."

"Left to die?" John returned to his balanced position. "For a dead guy you sure did a hell of a lot of damage."

"Oh don't start that again." Rodney returned to his tablet and pretended to ignore them all.

"You _shot_ me." John exclaimed.

"And me!" Lorne added.

"Hey I'm the one he tried to drown." Jen piped up, the silliness of the entire conversation making her feel completely giddy.

"Actually Doc, he _did_ drown you." Evan nodded.

"That is true." Teyla's face was serious but Jen could hear the laughter in her voice. "Perhaps you should consider a debt of retribution? It is a custom with my people to repay such a debt in kind."

Rodney made sputtering sounds.

"Hmm." Jen narrowed her eyes. "What would you suggest?"

"Perhaps you could-"

"Okay enough!" Rodney cried out. "Ronon already shot me. Three times I might add! Although the fact that he did have to shoot me three times is quite a feat if I do say so myself. You did make sure to add that to the mission report, didn't you, Sheppard?"

"I could shoot him again for you." Ronon offered.

Jen pursed her lips and glanced sideways at Rodney.

"Rain check?" She asked.

"You want me to check to see if it's raining?" Ronon looked confused.

"No." Jen laughed. "It means save it for a rainy day. Basically… don't shoot him now. But I'll call in that favor another time."

"Oh goody." Rodney mumbled. "Very professional beside manner, Dr. Keller."

"Right." Ronon nodded, warily eyeing McKay. "Just say when."

"Oh don't worry." Jen raised an eyebrow at Rodney. "I will."

And with that, the discussion deteriorated into a completely useless count of just how many people on base Ronon had already shot, and if Rodney's recent take down would count as one, or three.

One, they decided.

Jen would carry the other two as favors incase she needed them in the future.

In the end, even Rodney had to agree.

After all, he did technically drown her.

-END-


End file.
